Smart Finance

Term

Nominal vs. real

Nominal is the number written on the paycheck or the account; real is what that number buys once you subtract inflation.

In pesos: A 4% raise with 5% inflation is a nominal raise and a real pay cut of about 1%.

Where to go deeper

3/4 5 min Read What inflation is, and how it hits you Why the same money buys less over time, how a raise can still be a pay cut, and what central banks are actually doing when they raise rates.

More terms on the same topic

Educational content only: not financial, investment or tax advice. The numbers are examples to understand the idea, not a forecast or a recommendation.